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Charles Francis Murphy (June 20, 1858 - 1924) was a U.S. political figure, head of New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
's Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall

Tammany Hall , was the History of the United States Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling History of New York City politics and helping immigrants rise up in American politics from the 1790s to the 1960s....
.

hy succeeded Richard Croker
Richard Croker

Richard Croker, Sr. was an American politician, a leader of New York City's Tammany Hall....
 as leader of Tammany Hall in 1902 and became the most powerful boss in Tammany's history. The son of Irish
Irish people

The Irish people are a Western European ethnic group who originate in Ireland, in north western Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolgs, Tuatha D? Danann and the Milesians ?the last group supposedly representing the "pure" Gaelic a...
 immigrants, Murphy quit school at age fourteen and worked a series of jobs, saving money until he purchased a saloon
Bar (establishment)

A bar is a business that serves drinks, especially alcoholic beverages such as beer, liquor, and mixed drinks, for consumption on the premises....
. He eventually amassed four such establishments and made a significant percentage of his fortune.






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Charles Francis Murphy (June 20, 1858 - 1924) was a U.S. political figure, head of New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
's Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall

Tammany Hall , was the History of the United States Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling History of New York City politics and helping immigrants rise up in American politics from the 1790s to the 1960s....
.

Biography

Murphy succeeded Richard Croker
Richard Croker

Richard Croker, Sr. was an American politician, a leader of New York City's Tammany Hall....
 as leader of Tammany Hall in 1902 and became the most powerful boss in Tammany's history. The son of Irish
Irish people

The Irish people are a Western European ethnic group who originate in Ireland, in north western Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolgs, Tuatha D? Danann and the Milesians ?the last group supposedly representing the "pure" Gaelic a...
 immigrants, Murphy quit school at age fourteen and worked a series of jobs, saving money until he purchased a saloon
Bar (establishment)

A bar is a business that serves drinks, especially alcoholic beverages such as beer, liquor, and mixed drinks, for consumption on the premises....
. He eventually amassed four such establishments and made a significant percentage of his fortune. He soon became a member of Tammany Hall, and by 1892, Murphy became the leader of Manhattan
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
's so-called Gas House District. His stature in the Tammany organization rose until, in September 1902, Murphy became the undisputed leader of Tammany Hall, a title he maintained until his sudden death in 1924.

In contrast to his predecessor Croker, the taciturn and teetotaling
Teetotalism

Teetotalism is the practice and promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. A person who practices teetotalism is called a teetotaler or teetotaller ....
 Murphy (his nickname was "silent Charlie") brought an air of respectability to Tammany Hall. He furthered this end by promoting a new crop of Tammany politicians — chief among them Al Smith
Al Smith

Alfred Emanuel Smith, Jr. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American politician who was elected List of Governors of New York four times, and was the History of the United States Democratic Party United States presidential election, 1928....
 — who moved the machine away from the methods of Boss Tweed
Boss Tweed

William Marcy Tweed Jr. , known as "Boss Tweed," was an United States most famous for his leadership of Tammany Hall, the History of the United States Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th century New York....
 and toward a Progressive Era
Progressive Era

The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of reform which lasted from the 1890s to the 1920's.Responding to the changes brought about by industrialization,...
 style that rewarded the loyalty of the poor with reforms like factory safety and child labor laws. Thus, Murphy is credited with transforming Tammany into a political organization capable of drawing the votes of the ever-growing numbers of new immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
, a feat that kept Tammany in power until the early 1930s.

In Popular Culture


The character Jim Gettys in Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is a 1941 in film United States dramatic film and the first feature film directed by Orson Welles. It was nominated for an Academy Award in nine categories, but won only for Best Original Screenplay by Herman Mankiewicz and Welles....
 was based on Charles Murphy.

Further reading

  • Weiss, Nancy Joan. Charles Francis Murphy, 1858-1924: Respectability and Responsibility in Tammany Politics. Smith College, 1968.


External links